A dream in blue: that is
the Italian sea. Imagine a king journey that
takes you to see the wonders of the Italian
peninsula and islands, to explore and recount
your experiences in thousands and thousands of
kilometers of coastline, beaches, cliffs,
lagoons, gulls, marine reserves and parks, and
to plan excursions and adventures in the most
delightful places on the
Mediterranean. The Adriatic, Ionian. Tyrrhenian and Ligurian: the Italian
seas are an infinite voyage of discovery, an
infinite gamut of possibilities in which each of
us can find the perfect choice for an
unforgettable holiday. First of all, they mean
healthy places and waters, certified by numerous
awards from international organizations and
institutions whose job it is to check that the
environment is protected and who have acknowledged a high level of quality along the
Italian shores. The beaches offer visitors
a number of services that springfrom a thousand-year-old tradition of hospitality, brought even
more up to date by the development of modern, efficient facilities. And
finally, the seas of Italy surround a land that is unique in the world,
a treasure-house of art and history, perfumes and flavors, colors and
images which no-one else can boast. Blue waters, sandy coastlines or
steep cliffs, a myriad of coves, bays and islands; the Italian
Mediterranean is truly a living dream.

If we stop to look at the
never-ending sequence of beaches, let our gaze wonder over the thousands
of towns and villages,
and intoxicate our senses with the colors and the
scents, we realize a deep-seated truth: the Adriatic is a generous
mother who has given birth to children that are very different from each
other, but who are still brothers and sisters. We can see it as we
approach this holiday paradise, just a step away from the centre of
Europe, where the sea looks towards the East and the Balkans, and then
go along the coast towards the Po
delta and as far as le Marche. We see unrolling before us a film, which
has forever been the same and yet is different each day. The water is
inviting, and the sand velvety. The sun is strong, but it does not burn.
The heat is great, but it comes especially from the warmth of the people
of all ages and countries who flock to the Adriatic coast to meet other
people. Children devote themselves to their games, families find
themselves more united, and the young people get to know each other and
have fun. There are many languages spoken here, but one in particular
that everyone understands: the universal language of sea and holidays.

[There's More In Italy] In the
Friuli region, the Miramare castle on the promontory stretching out into the Adriatic at
Crignano, is the most famous building on the Trieste coast. It was
built between 1858 and 1870 by order of Archduke Maximilian of
Hapsburg, who, however, never saw it completed:
after he had accepted the crown of Emperor of
Mexico, he was shot dead in 1867 by the
Republicans of Benito
Juarez. The castle is now open to the public and the sea it stands above
is today a protected
natural area.

The first seaside resorts on the Adriatic coast
were established in the middle
of the nineteenth century. From then on
the very fine sand, the calm sea, the excellent climate, and the
sincere, creative conviviality of the people have been the
distinguishing features of a new, more open, different way to receive
guests. Hotels, restaurants,
meeting places, leisure, sports and
cultural centers are constantly centered around these values. Ageless and
unprejudiced, this long strip of land, which from
north to south includes the
northern and central Italian Adriatic
coast, appeals to tourists from all over the world, in a language they
all understand. The Adriatic
has a long tradition of welcoming
visitors and
especially appeals to families. Beautiful
beaches are equipped with all facilities including baby
parks and keep fit sessions on the sand. The Adriatic
also appeals to young people offering them a variety of night life
entertainment (particularly on the Romagna Riviera which is unrivalled
in its discos and night spots and has no seasonal limits). If you then
remember that the Adriatic beaches are really only a few kilometers away
from cities of great cultural prestige (from Venice to Trieste,
Ravenna and Urbino), that these areas are
interwoven with a very rich tradition of good food and wine, and that
the network of roads, motorways and airports makes it very easy to get
around, you understand the reason for the ongoing success of this part
of the Italian Mediterranean. The Adriatic coast
passes through seven Italian regions, from
the border with
Slovenia
down to the farthest point of Apulia. The most northern part includes
the seaside resorts of the Friuli and
Veneto
regions. In the gulf
of Trieste,
it is dominated by rocks looking down over the sea, with delightful
stretches of sand at their bases. The
Friuli Adriatic offers not only beaches equipped for those holiday-makers who love to have all
possible comforts available to them
(Sistiana
and Ginestre), but also more secluded
beaches for those who seek greater
tranquility. The generally less well-known resorts (Costa dei Barbari,
Duino) usually have little eating-places with simple cuisine, and are
certain to offer good fish dishes. There are a ways sports facilities for tennis,
horse-riding, football and, of
course, sailing. A
holiday here also gives you the chance to
get into the sport of potholing - a sport which started up in the Carso area over a
hundred years ago and offers a way to
explore thousands of underground caves, or else
rock climbing, for example, on the natural rock - face for trainingclimbers in the
Rosandra valley,
just a short distance from Trieste. The oldest and best-known seaside
resorts are Grado (there are some
remarkable architectural and
artistic treasures
in the old town-centre), Marano, and the
more recently established Lignano Sabbiadoro all on the edges of
beautiful lagoons.Going southwards, 117 kilometers of broad, sandy
beaches form the dividing line between the
sea and the land of the Veneto region. The fine
sand is the color of amber and the
wide beaches
slope down gently into the water, ideal
for people who love swimming offshore whilst enjoying the view of the
land. This is perfect for walkers, jogging along the shore, or simply relaxing at
the water's edge. It is very safe for children who can play happily in
the water without coming to any harm. There are
countless places worthy of note: Bibione,
beautifully situated like an island between the sea and a set of canals,
which separate it from
the mainland, has highly modem
tourist facilities, set in natural
surroundings of great beauty; Caorle, with its ancient dwellings; Lido di Jesolo has facilities that can
easily
accommodate the many
thousands of visitors, and Sottomarina, with wide,
welcoming beaches just a short distance from Chioggia, a very old fishing town.

[There's More In Italy]
The
Romagna region is the homeland of the most famous Italian gourmet, Pellegrino Artusi, and it
is itself a real gastronomic "oasis", with splendid wines
(Albana,
Trebbiano, Sangiovese), delicious, tasty dishes ("cappelletti",
"ravioli", and infinite ways of cooking fish) and a tradition
in which food,
hospitality and making merry are the secrets of good living.

The line separating the lands of the
Veneto and those of the Emilia Romagns region is the wide delta of the Po River - the longest river in
Italy.
South of the delta, recent, impressive urbanization work in the Comacchio area has created the so-called Sette Lidi, or Seven
Lidos (Lido di Volano, Lido delle Nazioni, Lido di Pomposa, Lido degli Scacchi, Lido degli Estensi,
Lido di Spina and Porto Garibaldi), which are today host to a firmly-established seaside tourism, with holiday homes and
residences.

The
Romagna Riviera is proverbially famous
for its highly-organized beaches, enabling a huge
seaside village to spring up in a
continuous line along the coast - a holiday city where people meet
each other, make new friends, listen to music and dance, have fun
by day and by night, and throw themselves into sporting
activities. From the Po estuary, to the Gabicce promontory, there
are 110
kilometers of gentle coastline linking the Comacchio lidos to
Cattolica, including Marina di Ravenna, Milano
Marittima, Cervia,
Cesenatico,Gatteo,San Mauro, Bellaria,
Igea Marina,
Viserba and Rimini, Riccione and Misano.
Theshoreline is on averageonehundred
meters wide, and the sand is extremely fine and golden.

The
Emilia Romagna Riviera appeals to visitors from all over the world and is popular because of its large beaches, the quality of its services
and its safety: there are over 1400 bathing beaches equipped with
facilities, 337 rescue look-out points - one every three hundred meters -800 lifeguards, and 45
first aid centers with ambulances. Among the many opportunities offered by this, the real "heart" of the Adriatic, is the Family and Children Club, which
offers high quality holidays for the "little ones" all year round: special furnishings in the
rooms, efficient services in the dining rooms, special needs catered for in the preparation of meals, equipped play areas,
a warm welcome, as well as small gift shops and tourist information for the younger customer.Romagna, with its capital Rimini, is very popular with the young people too - those who
are perhaps looking for a fun-filled holiday rather than
a restful one. Rimini
by night is their world, throbbing like a funky rhythm, romantic like
the moonlight, warm and impetuous like a river of joy that fills
the heart. It represents the
longing to be caught up in a summer dream, on your own, in a
twosome or together with lots of other people: it is
positive, musical and all pervasive. It is
the exciting sound of the
discos, dinner on a boat under the stars, a cafe-concert, a rural
festival up in the hills, an ice cream on the sea front, evening
shopping, an open-air film, an opera, or a bar
with jazz music.The Gabicce headland forms the boundary of the Romagna
region, and we then come to Le Marche - a coastline
stretching for a good 180 kilometers as far as the mouth of the Tronto.
The sea shore
of Le Marche,
with its beautiful beaches alternating with pebbles, rocks and sand, has
everything holidaymakers could want. In the northern part of the region, known as the
"Riviera
of the hills", long, slender beaches are interrupted here and there by headlands, small coves or the mouths of mountain streamsThe resorts of Gabicce Mare,
Pesaro and Fano offer a quiet seaside holiday even for inexpert swimmers and children. A little further south, Senigallia, the
ancient capital of the Senones Gauls, is famous today throughout Europefor its very
fine, white,
velvety beach. In the distance, you can
see the Conero, a headland of
extraordinary beauty
thrusting out into the blue of the sea just behind
Ancona. Here, the most unusual stretch of Le
Marche
coastline starts: the Conero Riviera, with splendid white bays, sometimes
accessible only by boat or along paths
cutting through the Mediterranean maquis. Going
southwards from Ancona,
you come to a succession of charming tourist sites:
Portonovo, SiroloandNumana, with its
practical and efficient tourist harbor, and Marcelli the most
modern, with tourist villages, residences
and many facilities for accommodating
visitors. Further along the coast, there are wide, flat beaches, as far
as the green surroundings of the pine woods at Porto Recanati, Porto
Potenza Picena and Civitanova Marche (with two
ports, one
for tourism and one for fishing). To complete the panorama of Le
Marchecoastline, we cannot
fail to mention the green Ascoli
PicenoRiviera,
stretching between Porto Sant'Elpidio,
Lido di Fermo, Porto San Giorgio and Pedaso and the so-called
Riviera
of the Palms, between Cupra Marittima, Grottammare
and San
Benedetto del Tronto, with its 7000 palm trees.

The Adriatic is
a melting pot of cultures and histories going back thousands of years,
and it is an area where traditions and customs intermingle, with
infinite echoes from one shore to the other. This feeling can be
appreciated in the more southern stretch, from Abruzzo to the Leuca
headland in Apulia.

The peoples of these coasts, who have experienced
both peaceful times and violent invasions over the centuries, and who
have built their identity on the infinite heritage of the neighboring
people, today offer tourists the richness and color of an exciting
civilization, together with an extremely beautiful natural environment,
a unique welcome and wonderful hospitality.

Along the seashore, with its excellent tourist
facilities, there are endless opportunities for an unforgettable holiday
in modern up-to-date resorts.

[There's More In Italy]
In Abruzzo, there is one place that must not be
overlooked if one is interested in tracing Mediterranean traditions
and civilization: that is the AbruzzoNational Park,
a few kilometers from the sea. This large, protected area was founded in 1923 and has for a long time been an
important factor in safeguarding the environment and the culture of the
Apennines. In more recent times, many initiatives have been
put in place, in accordance with EU programs, aimed at promoting the area by supporting
the production of typical
goods produced there

The administrative boundary between Le
Marche and the Abruzzo regions runs along the
eastern stretch of the
TrontoRiver,
and up to its mouth. The coastline in Abruzzo is just as varied: to the
north, the shore is low-lying and sandy, while to the south the coastline becomes jagged. The tourist seasons in the Teramo area, from Martinsicuro to Silvi Marinathrough Alba Adriatica, Giulianova, Roseto degli
Abruzzi and Pineto, the beachat Pescara and the
one atFrancavilla al Marehave
excellent
facilities for holidaymakers and
opportunities for fun and leisure
with a very modern tourist harbour at Pescara. To the south,
the scenery changes radically. From Ortona up to Vasto
and
San Salvo, unexpected coves set deep between bushes of broom
and vines alternate
with broad sandy beaches framed by thick Mediterranean
vegetation. There are also the unusual trabocchi-
the strange, solitary pile-dwellings
stretching out into the sea between San Vito Chietino and Fossacesia,
which are a left-over from ancient fishing customs. The
Abruzzo coast is particularly suited
to families looking for a quiet holiday, and is made even more
attractive by the wide choice of hotels and holiday residences
available. There are many possibilities for those seeking a
holiday packed with sports, too; water-sports are paramount here,
with sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and fishing.

We move southwards again, to the Molise region with its 30 kilometers of very fine sand. The large Rio Vivo beach on the
southern shore at Termoli, the
lidos at Sant'Antonio, the
tranquil seaside at Petacciato and the lively
beach at Campomarino Lido are what
the Molise area offers for a summer of sun and sea. A little further on, the land of Apulia
starts with the Gargano -a
large, unique Carsic promontory extending for around 2000 square
kilometers from sea level to 1055 m. up on the CalvoMountain, whose unadorned peak towers
over the Aleppo
pines on the coast and over the beech trees of the Foresta Umbra. The
"spur" in the "boot" of Italy
reaching out for around 70 kilometers
into the Adriatic
was once an island and its imposing mass
has environmental features that are very different from
the flat ground beside it. The Gargano coast still has
caves, rocks and occasional deserted coves of unspoilt beauty. There are countless
beaches; Lesina and Varano, facing onto
the salt water lakes
with the same
names,
separated from the
sea by a thin sand-dune;
Rodi Garganico and the little medieval
village of Peschici; Vieste and Pugnochiuso, the best known tourist
centres; and Mattinata and Manfredonia.
Lush greenery
here forms a backdrop to
beautiful places inland and the area
is permeated with an atmosphere of spiritual and religious
significance. Everyone will have heard of San Giovanni Rotondo, the home
- town by
adoption of Father Pio of Pietrelcina, the
Capuchin ftiar canonised and venerated the whole world over,
and Monte Sant'Angeio, a Norman village which is the site of
a very unusual cave-sanctuary where pilgrims came in the Middle Ages on their way to
the Holy Land.

[There's More In Italy]
The green world of Italian
golf is peopled by golfers who love the silence, the
wide horizons and that touch of privacy, which is reserved for those who play.
In dozens of golf courses throughout the whole of
Italy(especially in the north - there are 45 in
Lombardyalone), golfing
enthusiasts can enjoy themselves and
breathe in the fresh
air of the countryside. (www.federgolf.it)

The blue of the sea leads us to the magical villages in the province of Bari, starting with the perfect,
refined beauty of Molfetta, and
Polignano; the
impressive
buildings of this town seem almost to be
trying to dominate the seas, while at the same time being full of charm
with many
delightful caves, both large and small. Then there's Trani, facing the
coast with its white stone houses
and a superb cathedral, the
industrious Monopoli (where, inland, the
caves at Castellana
and the unusual trulli dwellings at
Alberobello and
Locorotondo area "must" for
tourists), and alsoBisceglie and
Mola. And now we go to the area around
Brindisi
- a land that is rich in nature, art
and history, with a coastline of remarkable beauty, a holiday-oriented lifestyle for those
who want to while away the time on the beach or who fancy roaming around unexplored
paths in search of caves castles, cathedrals, rocky
settlements, trulli and ancient farmsteads. In places
like Torre Canne or Marina di
Ostuni, tourists will also find the warmth
of authentic
hospitality, the comfort of various types of modern accommodation and
the pleasure of being able to indulge in their favorite leisure
pursuits. We enter the Lecce
province and that most unusual
area which is the SalentoPeninsula, stretched
out between
the two seas (the Adriatic
and the Ionian) that have shaped its
morphology and its history.Our journey takes us through all kinds of places
along the low, sandy coast, from Torre Rinalda, Torre Chiancaand Frigole,
to San Cataldo (just
12 kilometres from the splendid
town of Lecce), as far as the resorts of San Foca,
Roca Vecchia, Torre dell'Orso
and Sant'Andrea, and then to
Otranto.
This is one of the most exciting seaside resorts
in the whole of southern
Italy, because
of its prodigious history and its architectural jewels of civic,
military and religious
architecture,
condensed into an atmosphere in which the scent of the East is already
apparent. Passing through Santa Cesarea
Terme, famous for
its healing waters, and going along the coast, dotted with
caves (some of which are of great
archaeological
value], we come to the furthest point at Leuca.
Here, the Adriatic disappears into the Ionian and merges into the
horizon, the sea
goes back to being history, and the holidays fade away into
ancient myth.

[There's
More In Italy] Otranto, in the Salento area, is
the easternmost point of the Italian peninsula. Its origins are Greek,
the Byzantines and Normans
passedthrough here and, in 1480, the Turks subjected it to a sacking.
In the centre of the town, the Byzantine basilica of
St. Peter and the 11th century cathedral are worthy of note. Inland, there is the survival of a Greek linguistic
and cultural "island"- testifying to the way in which the region has always been
a natural bridge between
Italy
and the East.

A never-ending sea,
always changing, and full of surprisesand novelty. The Ligurian coast runs along for 300
kilometers,but if you
count the hidden coves, the headlands and
the creeks in the cliffs, the shoreline extends for
450 kilometers.

Thus the sea in Liguriahas something
to suit all tastes,but the region offers many attractions
in the less well-known areas
inland as well.
Here, the lush beauties of the countrysideintermingle
with the history and traditions of villageswith their ancient origins.

In
Liguria, there
is a whole world to be discovered, but slowly, for those who like to appreciate
small details: a breath of air, a glance, a
corner to become fond of, the atmosphere, the art
and the culture, the memory. Choosing to have a holiday in Liguria means choosing a way of living - slower, with more attention to detail, with a more delicate
touch. Among the many holiday possibilities that Liguria offers are the
chance to practice sports, in a huge open-air training ground, or the chance to discover the folklore, with
its many-colored tapestry of traditions and memories. You can
concentrate on the handicrafts, or follow the
progress of religious piety and devoutness of the ordinary people. There
are traces of poets, writers and painters who, with their words and
pictures, have sung the praises of this harsh,
generous and beautiful land, of its towns and
its villages. The morphology of the coastline is very varied, with rocky
shores alternating with pebble-beaches and sands. At some points, little islands emerge just a short distance from the shore -
ideal conditions for sub-aqua enthusiasts who find countless things to interest them in the deep seas of Liguria. What makes the coastal panorama of Liguria really unique,
however, are the old fishing villages. They can be seen embedded in the
rocks (as often happens along the Eastern Riviera - the
Riviera di Levante -where the mountains come right down to the sea in
ragged folds) or lying beside the short beaches (as in many stretches of the Western Riviera - the Riviera di
Ponente - where there is more often room for them between the mountains and the sea), and they reflect a long history of man's industriousness in a difficult environment.

[There's More In Italy]
The
triumph of characteristic, Ligurian produceis a triumph of color and smells: herbs and
vegetables from the hillside market-gardens, thevines, and the
infinite shades of green and silverof" the olive-trees. Not counting the smellsof the sea and its
mysterious, fascinating fruits.The gastronomic traditions of the coastand the inland areas ore based on these productsof Liguria, starting with the inimitable
Genovese "pesto", made from basil with a delicate aromato
be found nowhere else on earth.

A sort of eternal, infinite duality: a soul split into two, sharply divided
between the
enterprising industry of the
hundreds of seaside resorts and the calm austerity of the small inland townships.
This is one of
the
possible ways of interpreting the
land of
Liguria
through its towns and villages. Liguria
changed drastically in the 20th century, but has kept its
traditional
physiognomy in its more evocative corners such as the
HanburyGardens
at La Mortola, near
Ventimiglia, the
PortofinoMountain or
the charming corners of the Cinque Terre or Portovenere. But
Liguria
reveals itself in its urban landscapes, too, with their layers of
continually evolving history. There are large, dynamic, vibrant, modern cities,
such as Genoa, of course, but there is
also Savona, La Spezia
and Imperia, which have developed
around their ports. And there are the large resorts of international
tourism, with Bordighera, San Remo, Laigueglia, Albenga, Alassio, Finale Ligure, Pietra Ligure,
Albissola, Varazze andArenzanoon the Western Riviera, and Lerici, Levanto and
the Cinque Terre, Nervi and Portofino,
Santa MargheritaandRapallo on the
Eastern Riviera.
There are many towns which bear traces of
an ancient, glorious history: VentimigIia, Taggia, Noli, Chiavari, Sarzana and Varese Ligure make
up a mosaic
which must be looked at carefully and discovered in all its shades of color.
This is the "other" Liguria, the one that is
slightly out of sight of the sea, comprising lots of unforgettable
corners that can be visited on one of the many
excursions to be made through names
and places that are not as well known as the more customary
tourist places. In the inland townships, there are layers of an
artistic heritage that is apparent in the
urban structure of the towns and villages, providing
a further source of interest in the countryside. They differ in type from west to east, from hill to mountain,
with towns built in a ribbon-like development, to a star-shaped plan, along a
ridge, in concentric circles, with round villages and
fortified villages. This is one of the secrets of
Liguria, offering unique opportunities, just
a few minutes away from the
beach, for tourists to discover and to explore, as if there were a "hinterland behind
the hinterland". We only need think of some almost
unknown corners of the Cinque Terre, along mountain paths and
tracks that run along high above the sea. All these various
aspects make Liguria
a land to be savored gently, even slowly,
as in a musical Adagio.The region is well-served by
motorway and railway networks, being integrated into the great lines of communication that
link north Italy to central Italy and Italy to Europe. The tourist
who manages to free himself from the demon of haste may however
find interesting alternatives along secondary, less busy
roads where he can enjoy unexpected panoramic views, and many opportunities to
visit the area by getting away from
the more usual tourist itineraries.

Before us, we have the clear waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea;around us, a
spectacle
of hospitality
and welcome,and behind us,
all the wonder of Italian history, art, culture,ancient
Rome
and the Renaissance, Dante and Giotto,
archaeological excavations,
cities and towers, hills and cathedrals.
Going to the seaside on the northern Tyrrheniancoast, in Tuscany and Latium, is a unique experience.

First of all, there is the
famous Versilia, and also the
Maremma,and the areas around Pisa
and Livorno, the Argentarioand the
Latium
coast. There is also the area inland - a sightfor the eyes and the mind, and a treasure house
containingthe majority of
the art-works of Western civilization.

Then there is the countryside: hills with forms and colorsunique to this
area, clear skies, and mountains
coveredin woodland,
finally, the inimitable taste of the foodwith its
ancient flavors. Going to the seaside
in the northernTyrrhenian
means choosing
a holiday of
total immersion in beauty.

[There's More In Italy]
"Sun-drenched beaches, cool pine-forests, the ever-tronqui/ take, this
is Eden", exclaimed Gacomo Puccini on
seeing this corner of Tuscany. Torre del Logo and the great
open-air theatre that is host to the Puccini Festival - which has been
taking place there since 1930 - and the stage "resting" on the
Massaciuccoli lake, still have all the charm (hat inspired the great
musician. On the shore of the lake, in the midst of the vegetation that
stretches from Pisa to
Viareggio, the house where Puccini lived and
wrote some of his masterpieces is now a museum.

This is a land where the modern idea of tourism as a complete
package of opportunities for leisure, for relaxing in natural
surroundings and visiting cultural and artistic sites becomes reality, in the towns, faces, colors and perfumes; this is
Tuscany.
With its splendid beaches on the coasts of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and a
tradition of welcome and hospitality to visitors that date back for overa century,
Tuscany
can offer an ideal holiday to those who love
the sea, but are
not content just with beach life and
nighttime entertainment. It is impossible to imagine having a relaxing
time on the
Tuscan beaches without devoting a few daysto visiting the
cities of art (Florence,
Pisa, Lucca, Siena and many more), exploring the charming medieval
townships inland, or making exciting discoveries about the food and the
folklore.

Whatever activities the tourist
wishes to pursue,
the Tuscan sea is an attraction that is
difficult to resist. The Versilia area is the
best-known part of the coast,
stretching for over
20 kilometers of uninterrupted beach, with
a temperate climate thanks to the shelter it receives from the Apuan Alps, The
coastal area is divided into four resorts
next to each other: Forte del Marmi,
Marina di Pietrasanta, Lido di Camaiore,
andViareggio(with Torre
del Lago Puccini). Viareggio is a town with a tourist tradition going back to
the
end of the 19th century, as shown by the many examples of Liberty architecture concentrated mainly along the sea-front promenade.One typical seaside resort is Lido
di Camaiore, the extension on the coast of
Camaiore
town -the site of many historical and artistic treasures.
Pietrasanta has
some remarkable medieval monuments: Marina di Pietrasanta is a
well-known seaside resort with elegant villas, hotels and sports
facilities set deep among green cluster pines. There are famous bars and
discos offering young guests the opportunity to have fun, too. And
finally, there is Forte dei Marmi, which is exceptional because of its
exclusive atmosphere and its very comfortable, but moderately-sized
hotels and accommodation in villas surrounded by pinewoods and gardens.
The area can also boast a tradition as an intellectual centre frequented
by artists of all nationalities. Highly popular, prestigious events take
place in Versilia throughout the year, from the Carnival to the
Viareggio Prize for Literature, and from the Puccini Opera Season at
Torre del Lago to the "Versiliana" cultural events at Marina di
Pietrasanta. However, not only the Versilia area attracts people to the
seaside, in Tuscany. Tourists gravitate towards the
beaches all along the region's coastline. For example, there is one
corner of Tuscany where everything
is reminiscentof its glorious past. This is
Costa degli Etruschi in
the Livomo area. It is holiday time here all the year round because the
sea, the countryside, the art and the history exist together in a unique
and harmonious pattern.

[There's
More In Italy] In the Maremma, great
herds of cows and horses, raised in a semi-wild state, are free to move around the countryside. The
herdsmen on horseback - the so-called "butteri",
or cowboys - tend them and take
them to the
pastures or
herd them up for the operations of "merca" or "conta" — respectively,
branding with red-hot irons and counting heads. The cowboys live and work in the open air along with their animals; they are the
best in their skill and dexterity on horseback, and easily bear comparison with their more famous colleagues
on the American
prairies or
the Argentinean
pampas

The sea, first of all, is
crystal clear, with broad sands and cliffs. The coastline is dotted with
lots of bathing resorts, offering top-class hospitality and services.
Then there are the natural surroundings: an exceptionally rich
environment with parks and protected areas, botanical oases, animal
refuges occupied by rare species, a vegetation thick with pine trees and
woodland covering the hills. Running through the countryside is the Wine
Trail, where you can find unique wines, such as Sassicaia, that are
famous throughout the world. Further south, the area merges into the
Maremma. The shoreline, extending for 130 kilometers with alternative
beaches,
pinewoods, and stretches of superb
rocky coasts, is broken by countless coves containing tourist
harbors and
wide, safe landing-stages: Scarlino,
PuntaAla,
Castiglione della
Pescaia, Marina di Grosseto, andTalamone. All these places, along
with Follonicaand Principina a Mare,
are highly developed
tourist resorts, with good quality accommodation and
facilities. The Argentariopromontory is of great international
renown. Long ago, it was an island, and was subsequently
"anchored" to the Tyrrhenian coast by the Feniglia and the Giannella
tomboli (or strips of sand), which were formed by the accumulation of
detritus brought by the rivers and the sea currents. The
promontory, rising up 635 metres above sea level, has high, rocky
cliffs and is covered with a thick Mediterranean maquis alternating with
olive trees and vines. In the vineyards, created with great
effort by terracing the mountainsides, the rare Ansonico and Rimini
vines are cultivated.
On the northern coast of the promontory, the main
resort is Porto Santo Stefano,
with a port that carries out
intense
commercial and tourist activity based on its substantial fishing fleet, on
pleasure sailing, and on links to the islands of Giglio and
Giannutri. On the south coast, Porto Ercoleis a
well-equipped tourist harbour looking out onto a bay dominated by
impressive Spanish fortresses. In the nearby Cala Galera, dozens
of pleasure craft berth each summer, attracted by the
efficient facilities and services offered by this exclusive mooring.
The far end of the
Tuscan Maremma fades into the Tuscia, the ancient land of
the Etruscans.

[There's
More In Italy] In the hinterland of
Latium, a few kilometers from Rome
and the sea, there's a paradise (one of the many in
Italy) for lovers of good wine. This is the Castelii Romani area, the homeland
of white wines that are famous throughout the
world, all related to each other and all produced in
dry, "amabile" and sweet varieties. The most
famous centre of the Castelii is Frascati: the vineyards stretch over
the area between Caste/ Gandolfo, Albano, Ariccio, Genzano, Lanuvio, Vellerri, Lariano,
Montecompatri, Monte Porzio Catone, and Grottaferrata.

We have now come
into Latium, aid back to the mysterious, magic atmosphere that is a feature of the whole Tyrrhenian coastline. The main resort is Tarquinia,
where you can spend time relaxing on the beautiful beaches and enjoying their
well-equipped facilities, or alternatively, visit the medieval town-centre, the museums and the
archaeological
sites. Throughout Latium
the sea blends in with history, but this is especially true of the coast
around Rome.
The coastline from
Santa MarinellatoNettuno-Ladispoli.
Fregene, Ostia. Torvaianica, Ardea andAnzio- is the beach "just down the road" for the inhabitants of Rome. The wide sands are very popular the whole year round,
particularly
at weekends. The coast is like Rome's
huge amusement and HolidayPark, and can be a very refreshing
place
for those visiting the EternalCity.

Just before you arrive at the seaside resorts of
Terracinaand Sperlongayou come into the splendid
CirceoNational Park.
This was established back in 1934; it has four coastal lakes and offers a safe refuge for lots of different
species of migratory birds. Some valuable
archaeological
remains are to be found in this protected area: the
picturesque villageof San
Felice
Circeo
and the little town of Sabaudia - a remarkable example of town planning, built from scratchduring the 1930s on
rationalist architectural principles.
Moving
further south, we reach the gulf
of Gaeta,
where archaeological
remains of great significance from the Greek aid Roman eras are to be
found. In the sea off the beaches at Serapo there is a
rocky formation which, according to
legend, represents Ulysses' petrified ship. This wonderful
expanse of sea is protected to conserve the richness of the underwater
flora and fauna.

The shore is fringed with beaches of very fine sand opening onto the green Mediterranean maquis- ideal for those who love
the sun and water-sports. Apart from Gaeta,another noteworthy tourist resort is Formia,
with its ruins of Roman buildings. And a trip to the top of Mount Orlando -171 meters high, right above Gaeta - is not to be
missed: as well as the tomb of Lucio Munazio Placco (built there
in 22 B.C.], the view from the top is well worth the climb.

The Southern
Tyrrenian: the blu of the sea, the
fascination of its history

We see kilometerupon kilometer of coasts washed by the deep
blueof the Tyrrhenian, long, Iong golden beaches interspersed
with hidden, sandy or rocky coves, high crags that plunge into a crystal
clear sea, and the unique natural beauties of unusual landscapes,
villages and towns, in an area where everything is history, tradition
and colour.

The southern Tyrrhenian coasts, between Campania and Calabria, with a
short stretch of coast in Basilicata, are a fascinating place to visit,
permeated with poetry. Here, you find people - the Southern Italians -
with an innate sense of hospitality, and a land that is largely
untouched, although it has highly modern tourist facilities. Here, you
can sample typical food based on fish caught fresh each day, with
specialties prepared according to traditional rules, for the most
discerning palates. Here, a holiday becomes a dream.

[There’s More In
Italy] Situated on one of the most delightful stretches of the
Tyrrhenian coast, Amaifi attained the height of its splendor between the
8th and 11thcenturies, when it established
itself as a republic.
Bearing witness to its power is the "Amalfi Table", a document that
lists the procedures of
nautical law on the basis which maritime traffic was regulated. The decline of the
republic was brought
about partly by the invasion of the Normans, but more by the
ascendancy of another famous maritime republic, Pisa.

Following the Tyrrhenian coast
southwards, we cross an
administrative border
dividing the region of Latium from Campania, but we still follow the
same thread of history that
harks back to their common
Latin roots. This is the land of the ancient Aurunci tribe, a low, flat
coastline with, at its centre, the mouth of the Volturno river, today one of the best loved
coastlines for tourists because of the beauty of its landscape, the
hospitality and facilities
offered by places such as
Baia Domiziaand the numerous possibilities for tracing the course of ancient
history in towns such as Cuma.
We go past the headland of the Procida Mountain, and come into
an area which we might
define, without exaggeration,
as one of the Earth's
jewels; the Naples Riviera.

Grouped together into a very small
space, we find an infinite
number of natural beauties and the remains of an ancient civilization, such as can be seen
in few other places in the
world. Just a short distance
from the fascinating ruins
at Pompei, the town
that was buried by ash from
Vesuvius in 79 A.D., there
are lots of coastal towns
surrounding Naples: Pozzuoli, in an area of sulphurous springs;
Ercolano, which underwent the same fate as Pompei, as testified
by the impressive ruins, and
Torre del Greco, famous for processing coral. You can get a
spectacular panoramic view
of the wide gulf of Naples
from the Posillipo hill,
a lovely lookout point in this corner of the
Tyrrhenian.

[There’s More In
Italy] There is one element that unifies the cuisine of all the Italian
Mediterranean regions, and that's the tomato. With its bright red color and unmistakable
flavor, it has a very
versatile character allowing
it to be used in first courses, in meat and
fish dishes, and on pizza. The tomato is the real king of southern
cooking, a consolidated heritage of Italian gastronomic culture.

The mountain of Vesuvius looks
southwards and virtually forms a natural backdrop to another of
the most celebrated and
popular landscapes; the Amalfi coast, with its real
treasures, like Sorrento on the Peninsula jutting out towards the
sea at Capri - a favorite resort of aristocrats and poets in the last
century, and now an
international tourist site. Then there's Amalfi itself, famous for its glorious history as
a maritime republic;
Positano, one of the most beautiful and best loved holiday resorts, and
Ravello
with its sumptuous oldvillas
set in panoramic locations, ever popular with rich people and
famous artists (such as Wagner, who came to stay here to complete
Parsifal). Continuing on our journey from north to south, we arrive
at Piana del Sele, the land of buffalo mozzarella - one of the
most delicious cheeses in Italy.
Here, on the coast,
we again come across places whereseaside tourism and cultural tourism blend together into a unique extraordinary experience,
such as at Paestum,
which has excellent remains of its Greek past (its temples are some of the
best preserved from ancient
times).

The tourist is welcomed at this
point into the Cilento area.
On a visit to this little
piece of Italy, you can have
a marvelous timewandering
about the roads leading from the coast to the villages nestling on the rocky mountains. The Cilento area is a
handful of little villages,
each one more beautiful than the next, and visiting them means savoring the real flavor of the
South. There is a line of tourist-resorts along the coast, such as
Agropoli (of Byzantine origin),
Castellabate (built
around an 11thcentury castle), Acciaroli, Marina di Ascea, Palinuro,
Marina di Camerota and
Sapri.

The hand-made products of Campania are an explosion of shapes and co/ours. There are at least tv/o that stand out
Capodimonte ceramics
and the processing of coral, in which the laboratories ot Torre del Greco and the Sorrento peninsula are the
best known for the
great variety and imagination of their work.

We are in the wide, beautiful
gulf of Policastro, with
kaleidoscopic
scenery of rocks, coves, rugged coasts studded with cluster pines, hidden
beaches, both sandy and pebble, and wonderful caves. Here Campania gives way, although only for a short distance of little
more than 30 kilometers, to Basilicata.

This region has a small corner of
paradise facing the Tyrrhenian, in which the most important tourist
centre is Maratea on
the steep mountain slopes,
with the charming hamlets of
Fiumicello, Santavenere and
Porto. This place has only
recently been discovered by
the great mass of tourists; it stretches along a beautiful coastline with the little
island of Santo lanni at its
edge, and is attractive also
for those who love exploring
underwater. Just one more step and now we're in Calabria, the furthest
southern spur of the Italian
peninsula, like a large platform extending out to touch the heart of the Mediterranean. Full of
vitality and legacies of ancient times, this is the land of myths,
of Scylla and Charybdis, of Byzantine religiosity, of the Aspromonte
area, which figures in the
Chansons de gestes, of
centuries old olive trees, of berg a mot and jasmine. This
entirely Mediterranean and European
region has received the
strong impulses of its history
from the sea, and is building
its future on the sea as well.

Calabria is surrounded on two
sides by the sea. The
Tyrrhenian frames its western
coast, where we find a mixture
of highly varied environments,
with characteristic flora and
fauna. The mountains often plunge down into the sea with dizzy cliff
drops. One example of the
contrasts and the diversity of the natural landscape can be seen in the fact that, in the
Paola area, you go up from sea level to a height of over 1200 m. in the
space of about 6 kilometres (as the
crow flies). Costa Viola,
Costa dei Gelsomini, Riviera dei Cedri: these are certainly evocative names to define the shores
of a region that has found its true vocation in the tourist industry, putting it to
great effect in places such
as Praia a Mare (just over the border from Basilicata), Scalea, Diamante, Cetraro, PaoIa, and also Amantea, beautiful
Tropea, Nicotera, and BagnaraCalabra, where we are
already in sight of the strait of Messina.

The Ionian sea is not only a geographical entity, but a place in the
soul. The course you follow, to explore it, is steered by inspiration
and passions, and on your journey, which takes you through
thousand-year-old towns, along coasts, to headlands and gulfs, beaches
and villages, there are no limits or pre-established goals. For those
who want to discover this unique world, there is the sun to guide you -
high and strong in the sky - and the history of the people. There is an
ancient echo of sounds and faces -Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Normans,
Arabs and Spanish - and a succession of smells, intense flavors and
bright colors. It is like a huge strong box of memories, beauty, and
dreams, and discovering it is an amazing experience, that is definitely
not to be missed.

A virtual tour around this magic world might begin from the
Apulian coast, stretching out into
the sea almost like a bridge
towards the East. The whole Apulian shoreline is rich in
landscapes and corners of great beauty, and so is the stretch that goes
northwards from Leuca, the point where the waters of the Adriatic
and the Ionian mingle. One of the loveliest places in the
area is Gallipoli (its name
means "beautiful town") - a fortress rising up from the sea like
an island, surrounded by walls, with glittering domes on its churches.
Every town near it has artistic and
architectural treasures, from Medieval Byzantine to Baroque. We are in
the Taranto area, and a little further on, with a large
bend in the coastline, we come
out of Apulia and into Basilicata and Calabria. Continuing along
parallel to the horizon aid following the varied contour of the Ionian
shore, we find ourselves plunged into a piece of
Ancient Greece that has been
preserved right down to the present
day. This is the merging of history and nature that gives the
Basilicata and Calabrian coasts a
touch of the extraordinary.

[There’s More In
Italy] A trip through the Basilicata hinterland takes you to
discover the great
traditions of local
handicrafts. Viggia no, situated inland in the province of Potenza, is one of the very
few villages in Italy
where bagpipes are
produced. Diatonic harps were once afso produced here. These two instruments - popular
in the past both in
Europe and in North and South America as well - have introduced us to
the music that originated from the
soul of the country-people.

Basilicata has only a few dozen
kilommeters of shoreline, but it faces both sides of the Italian
"boot". Along the Ionian there are low-lying sandy coasts with very good
links to the main historic and archaeological canters inland, and resorts that are
not very large but are well-equipped to accommodate tourists: Lido di
Metaponto, near the ruins of the great Greek city of Metapontion
(where Pythagoras lived in the 6th
century B.C.), Marina di Pisticci, Lido di Scanzano, and
Lido di Policoro. In Calabria, the furthest
southern point of the Italian peninsula, what strikes one most is the
blending together of strong
contrasting elements. Harshness and sweetness co-exist and
unfailingly enhance the charm of the places. With high peaks and
deep waters, intense greens and
cobalt blue, the eye receives the
most disparate impulses in a very
short space of time and distance. With hundreds of kilometers of
coast, there is bound to be a great
variety of landscape. But that's not all: tourists here are also
offered leisure events, for fun-filed holidays, and the opportunity to
pamper themselves. The many thermal
springs are a valuable heritage that add to the enjoyment and
give holidaymakers the chance to keep their bodies in good shape.
The numerous cultural events, in all seasons of the year, serve to
provide a perfect break in routine and to provide a little oxygen
to the mind. Any requirements can be met here; in short, contrasts are
an integral part of Calabria. Two seas surround it - the Ionian and the
Tyrrhenian; there are the Aspromonte
and the Sila areas at the centre, with peaks rising up
to almost 2000 meters and vegetation
that changes: vineyards and olive groves gradually replace citrus
orchards and cereal and vegetable crops; and pine and beech woods make
way for chestnut-trees. The
Ionian coast, from its border
with Basilicata to the point
looking towards Sicily, is a
continuous succession of linear white beaches, and rocky arches, cliffs
and caves. The southern part, with places such as Ciro Marina,
Crotone, Isola di
Capo Rizzuto (a resort "created" for tourism) and Le Castella,
offer hotels and
accommodation to satisfy the demands of European tourism. The shoreline
to the south, with its
backdrop of dunes covered
with Mediterranean maquis,
has broad sandy beaches
bordered by the deep blue of
the sea. The better-known seaside
resorts are
Catanzaro Marina, Squillace Lido, Copauello, Soverato, Marina di
Davoli and
S ant' Andrea lonio Marina. And then there's Marina di Gioiosa lonica,
Locri, Bovalino,
and Melito
di Porto Salvo.

Throughout the western world - so the experts in market surveys and
research say - when people think of a seaside holiday, they have
Sardinia and Sicily in mind. It is
the two large Italian islands, along with a few other places in the
world, which constitute the longed-for destination of those who
are getting ready to experience a trip that they hope, will be
unforgettable.

So people are attracted here by
their idea of a dream holiday: a deep, clear sea, the coasts rich in
unending discoveries, the history, and the passions of people who
have been protagonists of infinite
historical events. And, of course, there is the splendid accommodation, alongside
villages that have kept intact their ancient charm.

The largest island in the Mediterranean is Sicily, and it can offer a lot to the tourist,
starting with its historical, cultural and artistic heritage. But
Sicily has always been the
land of seaside holidays. In fact, what the sea represents - men's livelihood and passions, legends,
colors and forms - only adds
fascination and magic to the beauty of this island.

There are as many as onethousand kilometers of development along the coast,
showing some surprising
differences. On the Tyrrhenian side and in the northern Ionian stretch, the coast is mainly, but not only, high and rocky, while on the east and south it is lower
and sandier. Considering the point
which reaches out to
Calabria, the area we should
start from is the province of Messina, with coastal expanses that are really unique, such as the so-called
Saracen Coast between Tindari, the Calava headland, the San Giorgio bay, the beaches of Piraino and Brolo, and the
Orlando cape. Milazzo is one of the main Greek colonies in Sicily, stretching out towards the Aeolian archipelago to form a
sort of natural bridge
between two large gulfs, the Milazzo gulf and the Patti gulf, enclosing
Tindari - one of the most charming
places on the Tyrrhenian shore. The town was founded by the Greeks of Siracusa in 396 B.C. and destroyed by
the Saracens in 836. In the
province of Messina, but on
the Ionian side, there is the most famous seaside resort
in Sicily: Taormina, a jewel that manages to bewitch both those
who are looking for a close
relationship with nature and a quiet stay, and those who want
to get into more frivolous
holiday activities, without forgetting the artistic and historical sights. The town is
situated about 200 m. above
sea level, within sight of the cone of Mount Etna, and together with the nearby Giardini Naxos,
it forms a seaside resort
that is very attractive to
tourists, who come here in
all seasons of the year. Going back to the Tyrrhenian coast, into a world filled with the
typical fragrances of fruit
trees and lemons, there are
variousplaces in the province
of Palermo that are also
worthy of note. Starting with Cefalu`, a splendid little town on
the slopes of a limestone promontory, full of precious artistic works such as the
Norman Cathedral, which contains valuable Byzantine mosaics. And
finishing with the treasures of
Palermo and Monreale and the
seaside
resorts of
Mondello and Sferracavallo near Palermo. In all these places, as if their
natural and artistic beauties
were not enough to captivate even the most insensitive visitors, the tradition of gourmet
food completes the task of
seduction, with fish and seafoodcooked in extremely varied ways,
vegetables, desserts and ice
creams. The eastern part of the island, also, offers an excellent level of accommodation and hospitality to visitors alongside
its natural beauties. Tourist
centres that have managed to exploit their best aspects are
Castellammare del Golfoand
San Vito lo Capo. Here, visitors can find not only beautiful beaches and sea (with very
favourable conditions for sub-aqua divers), but also lush vegetation and
the chance to plunge into the
traditions and the history of
the Sicilian people, For
example, you can visit the tunny-fishing areas at Scopello and Bonagia
to see the fishing equipment and the buildings where the fish used to be
processed. Here, we are just a
short way away from places that are famous for their architecture;
the medieval town of Erice -which looks down over Trapani and the sea from a height
of 750 meters - and the archaeological site at Segesta.

[There’s More In
Italy] Ice creams, "sorbets", "granites", cakes, biscuits of all
kinds, shapes, flavors and
colors: Sicilian
pastry-making is among the
most fantastic you can imagine. The most typical sweet is the
so-called "pasta reale" or Martorana fruit. This is soft, sugared, almond pastry modeled into
lots of different shapes,
especially to imitate
fruit It is colored with food-colorings, and rivals real fruit in its loveliness and taste.

On the coast there are the ruins of the
Phoenician town of Mozia
and, towards Marsala and Mazara del Vallo, there are successive salt
works with their characteristic windmills. In the Agrigento area, the
seaside towns border two beautiful
and exceptionally valuable jewels from a historical point of view. These areSelinunte and the Valley of the
Temples. The beach resorts
between Sciacca and
Licata may not be the best known in Italy, but they are just as good as
other much more famous ones. We should at least mention the
splendid Eraclea Minoa
with its white cliffs at the mouth of the Platani River. Our tour around
the island now takes us to
the coasts of Ragusa. The
shores of Marina di
Ragusa, Sampieri, Marina di Modica and Pozzallo are striking because of their long
beaches, quiet coves and rocky cliffs, which appear again after
kilometers of sandy coastline.
An oasis for a perfectly relaxing holiday is the Portopalo area on the southernmost point of the island. In the Noto gulf, going towards Siracusa, the seaside resorts bestloved by the residents, and by tourists, are Fontane Blanche,
Ognina and Lido Arenella - famous for the white sand of its beaches. Beyond
Siracusa - the Greek city
which was one of the "capitals" of the Mediterranean and which is worth taking time to visit thoroughly - the seaside village of
Brucoli looks out onto the gulf of Catania, just a short distance from the Etna lidos, deep among citrus groves and the resorts
of the so-called Riviera of
the Cyclops. The landscape
here is sparkling and spectacular, with monolithic rocks and crags, and
many reminders of a civilisation and a fishing economy, which have just
recently been left behind, in
small towns like Aci
Castello, Aci Trezza and Acireale.

The other large Italian island is
Sardinia, which, with its coastline of around 1800 kilometers, is one of the most popular destinations for those who enjoy water sports and who
love spending their holidays
atthe sea. The sea in Sardinia is
among the finest and
clearest to be seen in the
world and the uniqueness of
the Sardinian landscape and
the profound differences between the various parts of the island - making it
seem like a miniature
continent - are immediately
striking. We can best see
this when we are lucky enough to be able to sail along the coasts: from
the sea, we can admire not
only the long sands, the
hidden bays with their lovely, almost inaccessible little beaches, but also rocks, cliffs,
crags and small islands that
remind us of the island's
complex geological history. We delight in the perfumes of the
Mediterranean maquis,
carried along on the breeze: the fragrance of myrtle, strawberry tree,
rosemary and wild broom become stored in our memory of scents. These aromas are also an
invitation to stop at one of
the many landing places, not
only for a rest but also for
a trip inland to visit an ancient Nuragic site, or simply to get to know
the people. If you choose to do this,
you will not only find that
you have entered one of the
most beautiful regions in Italy, but you will also have the satisfaction
of sampling an extraordinary
tradition of good food and handicrafts, there are lots ofpeople. If you choose to do this,
you will not only find that
you have entered one of the
most beautiful regions in Italy, but you will also have the satisfaction
of sampling an extraordinary
tradition of good food and handicrafts. There are lots ofdishes of shepherds' fare and
seafood, high-quality handmade woolen, wickerwork and ceramic products, and articles in
gold filigree.

Coming back to the sea and the
shore, those who do not have
the
chance to go sailing can also enjoy the clearest waters in the
Mediterranean, by finding accommodation in one of the many hotels or
campsites in the seaside
resorts, or maybe isolated
in the silence of a stretch
of deserted coastline. But
where?
The list is very long
indeed. We should mention
Pula, on the west coast
of the gulf of Cagliari, a
few miles from the ruins at
Nora, the oldest town in
Sardinia, and then Chia, and Sant'Antioco, on the shore of
the island of the same name,
connected to Sardinia by a
sandy isthmus. Then there is Portoscuso, Oristano and
Alghero, the city whose
inhabitants still speak Catalan, testifying to the migration in
ancient times from the coasts
of Spain. Further north
there is Stintino, and then the large coastlines
that are known all over the world: the Costa Smeralda (between Arzachena and Olbia - the most exclusive
resort in the
Mediterranean), the Costa
Paradiso (at the far
northwestern side of the
island), and the Costa del
Sud (between Teulada and
Domus de Maria]. Finally,Palau, Baia Sardinia,
Golfo Aranci and the gulf
of Orosei with the splendid Cala Go none, Arbatax and
Villasimius with its white cliffs.

[There’s More In
Italy] One of the best-known specialties of Sardinian cuisine is "bottarga"- tuna or mullet eggs crushed, sprinkled with salt
and left to dry. Then,
it is cut into thin slices and
served steeped in olive oil. Because of its delicious taste and
its special features, it is considered a sort of Mediterranean caviar.

Islands have always been perfect
places, symbolic images of the mind, and horizons for all journeys. We
only need think of sailors and their reactions when the shape of an island appears out of the sea, and becomes for them
a shelter and a dream for body and mind. Island dwellers are people of
fairy tales and legend: people molded by the sun and the salt water, by
an inexhaustible struggle to grab from the sea spaces to live; people
who have myriad fantastic stories in their hearts, suspended between the
sea and the land. There are many examples of this magical world in the
Italian Mediterranean, which, alongside Sicily and Sardinia, has thousands of little islands, each to he
discovered and lined. We cannot help but perceive the unusual features
of these microcosms created by men who have struggled hard with the
elements, and admire the almost uncontaminated natural environment that,
in many cases, has been kept intact and is today jealously safeguarded.

Italy has a very rich system of
archipelagos: around the coasts of the Italian peninsula and the two
larger islands, there is an array of large and small islands of
extraordinary beauty, where the quality of the environment is an
essential feature for tourists whose reasons for choosing a holiday
include the possibility of
immersing themselves totally in
nature. Often artistic and
historical sites go hand in
hand with the beauties of
natural settings and, as always in Italy, unique
traditions, folklore and good
food.

In the Adriatic opposite the
Gargano coasts in Apulia, there
are the
Tremiti islands, alsocalled the Diomedean islands, with a reference to Greek mythology. The reference to myth
is, however, not the only
fascinating thing about these
extremely beautiful islands
(the main ones are San Domino
and San Nicola); their
environment is protected by a large marine reserve and they are linked
to the Apulian coast by a ferry service. The sight of Father Pius
of the Sea, the most impressive underwater
statue in the world, is
extremely moving, and the ancient fortified abbey at San Nicola,
references to which date back
to the 11th century, is very beautiful.

In the Tyrrhenian Sea, there are three important groups of islands. Off Tuscany there is
the
archipelago that includes Elba, Capraia, Gorgona,
Pianosa, Monte crista, Giglio and Giannutri.

The best known of these islands is Elba,
which is also the largest, with nearly 150
kilometers of coastal development and ahistorical cultural heritage that
adds various, unusual
dimensions to the many
attractions offered for tourists. The other islands have various kinds of restricted access (mainly
for naturalistic reasons), and only Giglio can offer
accommodation for tourists in a
setting which can only be defined as extraordinary. Further south, the little Pontine
archipelago is situated almost at the centre of the Tyrrhenian, off
the coast of Latium, and
comprises two groups of islands: Ponza, Palmarola,
Zannone and Gavi to the northwest, and Ventotene and Santo Stefano to the southeast.
There are around 22 nautical miles
between these two groups. The sea, with its clear, deep waters, makes these islands ideal,
especially
for those who love venturing out for sub-aqua activities. The islands in the gulf of Naples
are famous throughout the worldand have been immortalized in Hollywood
films; they are Capri, Ischia and Procida
- each one more beautiful than the next. Capri is well known everywhere for its Faraglioni (or monolithic rocks) and the
Blue Grotto, and has fascinating reminders of its far off past (Roman
ruins and a fourteenth century monastery); it is now an essential location for international high society to visit.

Ischia is the largest of the islands in the gulf, famous
for its climate, its lush vegetation, and the healing powers of its
thermal
waters that gush out in various places, and at
high temperatures too (the island,
in fact, has volcanic origins). Finally, little, flat Procida is a land of fishermen and though it
is
certainly less famous for its natural beauties it is equally, if not
more, interesting because of its
cultural aspects. There are countless
islands surrounding the
coasts of Sicily and Sardinia.

The islands of Sicily-, with, in
several
cases, common, volcanic
origins-are particularly charming.
One example is Pantelleria,
situated only 37 kilometers
from the African coast and 47
from the Italian coast, where
we can see various volcanic
phenomena, such as hot springs and jets
of boiling steam. Lobster is fished
there, and the much-prized Zibibbo grape is grown there on terraces.
South of Sicily there is another wonderful natural
maritime
sight: the Pelagian islands, which are also volcanic and include
Lampedusa - with high coastlines
overlooking the water and important, prehistoric, archaeological
remains, Linosa, inhabited by fishermen, and the very small Lampione. North of Palermo, on the other hand,
Ustica has a wild appearance that is the result of the dark colour of the lava stone. Its inshore and offshore
waters are protected by
environmental regulations, and it was the first marine reserve to be
established in Italy in 1986;
this has promoted it as the favorite island of sub-aqua enthusiasts. And
now we go
to the north of the Milazzo peninsula and the
Patti gulf, to the seven
Aeolian (or Lipari) islands - all extremely beautiful. There are Alicudi and Filicudi,
with the
remains of a Bronze Age village;
Stromboli. rising up to over 900
meters above sea level; Salina, very green, with vines used to
produce highly prized wines; Vulcano,
with thermal springs and
sulphurous steam jets;
Lipari, the largest island with very
impressive archaeological
remains dating back to the 16-17
century B.C. and a museum with
exhibits that are fundamental for studying Prehistory and Greek and Roman antiquity; and finally Panarea,
the smallest, with a crown of
rocks and uninhabited little islands.

The last set of
lesser Sicilian islands is the
Egadi group, a few miles from the
Trapani
coast.It includes three main islands:
Favignana, the best
known,

with gentle hills and a dense Mediterranean
maquis; Levanzo, with a tiny
port and
the Palaeolithic graffiti of the Genovese
cave; and Marettimo, the most
western and
hilly. The Egadi islands have some of the most
important
tuna-fishing sites in Sicily. Sardinia, too, is surrounded by a set of
small islands, starting with the heavenly Maddalena archipelago. 23 islands, large and small, that
are a compulsory destination for
any lover
of the sea, because of the charm and the perfume of the Mediterranean
vegetation, the transparency of the waters and the very fine sand of the
beaches.

[There’s More In
Italy] They owe the invention of the "passito" wine, the most typical
product of Pantelleria, to the Carthaginions.The
first ripe bunches of grapes were exposed to the sun on a cane grating. When bunches
became dry (raisins), the gropes were picked off, put into an earthenware jar and covered with
must. After six days, they were pressed, and
fresh must was added. The liquid
obtained was sealed in clay pots, to be opened after fermenting for 20-30 days.

There are places with famous names, linked to history:
Caprera,
where
you can find the house and
museum of Giuseppe Garibaldi - the hero of Italian independence who retired there in his
latter years; Maddalena, the only
town, with
a fine naval museum housing the complete load of a Roman ship which
drowned inthe waters of the neighboring island of Spargi; the splendid
Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria: these last two are separated by
the Passo degli Asirielli, or Donkey Pass, the name given to a ford, because many years ago it was travelled by
donkeys employed to transport
provisions to the men working at the Razzoli lighthouse, a forward
sentry for those sailing in the Bocche di Bonifacio.

Opposite the gulf of Olbia, the large
majestic island of Tavolara stretches out, rising to 565 meters above sea level, and just to the south,
there is the lower lying
Molara, with the ruins of a
medieval castle. Two other islands that should be mentioned
are Asinara, north of Stintino; access to this island is prohibited to the public because it contains a prison, and it has therefore kept
its scenery uncontaminated
and has recently become a National
Park.
Finally, there is San Pietro, off Portoscuso on the west coast. This was
uninhabited until 1737 and was colonised
by Ligurian immigrants who founded Carloforte - today one of the best known
seaside resorts in Sardinia.